An earthquake is what happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another. Sometimes an earthquake has foreshocks, which are smaller earthquakes that happen in the same place as the larger earthquake that follows. The largest, or main earthquake is called the mainshock. Mainshocks always have aftershocks that follow. All of these seismic events are hereinafter referred to as earthquakes, whether technically classified as foreshocks, mainshocks or after-shocks.
Data centers are increasing rapidly throughout the world to support the increasing use of servers in many different forms of electronic commerce, from the buying and selling of securities, insurance, selling and delivery of manufactured goods, produce and other foodstuffs, telecommunications and other forms of electronic commerce. In order to facilitate this explosion in the number of servers supporting this electronic commerce, data centers are being built in geographic areas known to have been the setting for earthquakes. Inside these data centers, the numerous servers are contained in cabinets or “racks” that hold multiple servers in proximity one above the other. These servers usually rest upon the floor of the data centers, where the floor comprises a base floor usually made of cast concrete, or an upper floor of the data center formed of precast concrete, wood, or composites of metal and concrete. When subjected to an earthquake, all the floors of a data center can be vibrated, lifted, undulated or otherwise subject to a shift in position, notwithstanding that the floors are formed of a relatively rigid and non-compressible material, such as concrete.
The server cabinets or racks are likewise subjected to vibration, movement and a shift in position when occupying a position on the data center floors. The servers contained within these cabinets or racks are likewise subject to vibration, shifting and displacement from the racks due to a combination of inertia and the shocks of the earthquake.
Heretofore, there was no manner of protecting the server cabinet or racks from the effects of an earthquake or reducing damage to servers contained with the rack. Existing rack designs do not reduce the effect of an earthquake on the servers.
It is from this environment, that the present inventors conceived of this disclosure and protected server cabinets or racks, and the servers contained therein, from the effects of earthquakes.